SAN JOSE — Center Macklin Celebrini, who has helped fuel the San Jose Sharks’ recent resurgence, was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for November on Sunday.
Celebrini didn’t play in every Sharks game last month but still led all NHL rookies in goals (seven), points (12), game-winning goals (three) and shots on goal (45).
Other top players in consideration for the honor were Flames goaltender and Gilroy native Dustin Wolf (5-2-1, .925 save percentage), Flyers winger Matvei Michkov (10 points in 12 games), Sharks teammate Will Smith (nine points in 13 games), Islanders winger Maxim Tsyplakov (eight points in 15 games) and Panthers winger Mackie Samoskevich (seven points in 11 games).
Celebrini missed the Sharks’ game against the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 12 with a hip injury. He returned after a 12-game absence on Nov. 5 and went on to rank first among all rookies last month in even-strength goals (six), even-strength points (10), face-off wins (105) and face-offs taken (207). He was also second in total time on ice (279:31), and third in average time on ice (19:58).
The Sharks are 6-5-3 since Celebrini’s return and are coming off a home-and-home series sweep of the Seattle Kraken. San Jose won 8-5 at SAP Center on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday in Seattle.
Takes first overall pick by the Sharks at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas in June, Celebrini recorded his first multi-goal game on Nov. 7 vs. Minnesota. At 18 years, 147 days, he became the third player in Sharks franchise history to score twice in a game before his 19th birthday, joining Patrick Marleau (Nov. 18, 1997 vs. Anaheim) and Jeff Friesen, who did it twice during the 1994-95 season.
On Nov. 18 vs. Detroit, Celebrini (18 years, 158 days) became the third-youngest player in NHL history at the time of their first regular-season overtime goal, behind only Sidney Crosby (18 years, 101 days on Nov. 16, 2005) and Jordan Staal (18 years, 153 days on Feb. 10, 2007).
Celebrini finished the month on a four-game point streak, with four goals and three assists.
Celebrini is the first Sharks player to receive the honor since center Tomas Hertl, who had eight goals and 11 points in 13 games in Oct. 2013. That included a four-goal game against the New York Rangers on Oct. 8 in his third career NHL game.